Orange County Teamsters Resume Strike as Wage Talks Continue with Mediator

The labor dispute impacts local waste hauling services, landfill access, and county expenditures amid rising inflation and costs tied to recent legal settlements.

• •Orange County waste and public works employees resumed their strike on Thursday.
• •Union and county officials are participating in face-to-face talks with a mediator.
• •The county's last, best and final offer proposes a one-year deal that runs through the end of August.
• •The county's offer exceeded the cost of living allowance and included additional holidays.
• •The county filed a complaint with the Public Employment Relations Board alleging picketers broke the law with human chains and blocked traffic.
• •Union officials denied the county's allegations regarding picketing tactics and accused the county of violating labor law.
• •The union previously paused the strike to allow waste haulers to use county landfills without crossing picket lines.
• •Board Vice Chair Katrina Foley noted that county sales tax revenue is growing by 2.7%, but inflation, labor costs, and health insurance have increased at a higher rate.
• •Supervisor Don Wagner stated that any pay increase granted to the Teamsters would need to be shared across all other county unions due to internal policies.
• •The county recently paid out millions of dollars in settlements related to the Airport Fire, tightening its financial resources.